In pictures: The Cairns Ukulele Festival

Sue "Miss Wattle" Arnold from the Patent Hill Ukulele Club says they travelled up from Melbourne on a whim to make it to the festival and they couldn't imagine a better place for it to be held. "I think it is absolutely delightful, Cairns is unspeakably beautiful, I have never been to the tropics before and I can't believe it, I am pinching myself every day it is so beautiful," she said. (ABC Local: Isaac Egan)

Liz "The Mothership" Kitney from the Central Coast Ukulele Club says the ukulele is all about sharing with other people. "From eight to 86 are in our club. It is a lot of fun. It is about the camaraderie, it is about the happiness that the little ukulele brings, it is about the love. It is a sharing instrument, so when you strum along, even if you only play two chords, you can still pick four or five songs out of that and get everybody singing, which is brilliant, I love it," she said. (ABC Local: Isaac Egan)

Cairns local Brynn Matthews has been coming to the festival since it started and has loved it every year. "I'm not very good mind you, but I enjoy it. It always puts a smile on your face, and it is pretty easy to play. I play it during the ad breaks on the telly and I'll play it during movies if they are getting boring - to add a bit of mood to them. I just play it when I feel like playing it," he said. (ABC Local: Isaac Egan)

Family entertainer and platinum artist Michael Jackson (left) says he loves the ukulele because of its inclusive nature. "There is everybody here from nonagenarians to three-year-olds playing and happily playing. It is never too late to learn and it is really not too early to start. If they can hold the instrument in their hand they can play. Cairns belongs with the ukulele, it is such a smiley little instrument and it is such a gorgeous town," he said. (ABC Local: Isaac Egan)

Sonny Otake from the Uku-Love Ukulele Club says it is all about being happy and making others happy. "We love to play ukulele because it is a happy sound and we smile all the time and laugh all the time when we play the ukulele," she said. (ABC Local: Isaac Egan)

Geraldine Roediger (left) says she came to last year's festival and was hooked. "I just think it is a little piece of paradise and the more people that come and have fun and enjoy playing the ukulele, and just seeing the sights, the better," she said. Dene Roediger (right) says the ukulele has taken over his life. "It has taken over our life in actual fact; it has gone from a hobby to full-time. We just think it is a great time for all ukulele players to get together and enjoy each other's fellowship and have a good time," he said. (ABC Local: Isaac Egan)

Ukulele salesman John Raggit says apart from being a great place to sell ukuleles, he loves being amongst positive people. "It is a great festival to be involved in, it is probably the biggest in the country and ukulele players are a lot of fun. It is a beautiful place to be and I like to get away for a few days and enjoy the sun in Cairns," he said. (ABC Local: Isaac Egan)

Jim Daniel from the Humps Ukulele Group in Hervey Bay says it is the most inclusive instrument he's ever known. "The little ukulele gives so much pleasure and so much joy, it doesn't matter how good you are, it doesn't matter whether you can sing, you can just have a great time with it and I think that is why so many people love it. It is just terrific, I'm really enjoying it and the weather is fantastic," he said. (ABC Local: Isaac Egan)

Former Cairns Mayor Val Schier (left) says the festival has become part of the identity of Cairns. "It just fits in with what Cairns is all about, which is having fun and a bit of colour and life and vibrancy and having people walking around with smiles on their faces," she said. Cairns local Paul Matthews (right) says the festival is an opportunity to bring out your most colourful outfits and have some fun. "This is just so much fun though isn't it; look at everyone getting down in their royalty. It is just a fun instrument, I still don't know how to play it, but I have had it tuned up and I am ready to go," he said. (ABC Local: Isaac Egan)

Dassana from the Uke4Kids, Family Orchestra says after winning a ukulele video competition the primary school kids couldn't miss the Cairns Ukulele Festival. "They are loving it, they are loving the sea, they are loving the pool, they are loving the media attention," she laughed. "I think these kids will play the ukulele for the rest of their lives, they are really committed and they are amazing. They take it everywhere of course, because it is the most portable instrument in the world!" (ABC Local: Isaac Egan)